a flip and a flop

I had a lightbulb moment the other day. I think I may be somewhat sabotaging my own recovery. Not with my choice of activities, but with my choice of footwear. The snow melting, to me, marks the beginning of my favorite season. Not spring, but....

 

FLIP-FLOP SEASON!!

I love flip-flops. Probably because I hate socks and shoes. Hate them. If I could go barefoot more often without stepping on things that hurt and are unsanitary, I would. (Note: this does not mean that I will jump on the minimalist shoe thing, because I know how crappy my feet/ankles/knees are and how much support they need when I run.)

Every spring/summer/fall/until it snows again, I LIVE in flip-flops. I have a job where I can dress pretty casually, and I have flips to match every outfit.

Without thinking, this spring has been no exception. But I've been fighting the nagging thought that maybe they're not so good for me after all. Then I went a whole day with no pain, and around 4:00 (when the leg starts to twinge), I realized that I didn't hurt. I also realized that I was NOT wearing flip-flops. I was wearing dressier flat sandals, but ones with support. So I googled flip-flops and running injuries.

Eeeeesh. Do you even know how bad those things are for you?? I guess it makes sense. Let's ask a cheapo floppy, straight-as-a-board piece of thin man-made plasticky crap to provide proper support for the entire weight of a human being all day, shall we?

So, despite trying NOT to spend extra money these days (tri gear and medical bills are getting spendy), I decided I really should budget for a quality pair of flip-flop like shoes, but supportive ones.

My new partner in injury fighting, Courtenay, mentioned that she loves her new Old Navy Fit Kicks as a flip-alternative. I tried them and I almost almost bought them - especially since they have sparkly ones - but I fell in love with the C9 ones I found at Target.

(Yes, my toenails are green. I found that color in a clearance bin and thought it would be offbeat and fun. Also, my feet are not as ugly in real life as they look in this picture. They are veiny, though. And finally, the second toe on my right foot is the one that lost the nail - you can kinda tell that the new nail is still pretty short.)

ANYWAY.....the blue material is soft and squishy. It feels like memory foam. It feels like walking on clouds or pillows or marshmallow peeps. These things are so comfy that I was wearing them IN my apartment, which is typically where my shoes get kicked off .000235 seconds after I walk through the door. (Did I mention that I hate shoes??)

I wore them all day and they felt great. I was hurting a little from yesterday's workout, but I could feel a real difference as far as stability, and I could tell my leg didn't get nearly as worn out as it does after a long day.

So, if you run, consider losing the flip-flops for everything but short stints and gym showers. Check out Target and Old Navy for cute and comfy alternatives for a smidge under $17.